Protective packing apparatus for easily damaged objects



Nov. 8, 1966 E. ENGLISH, JR

PROTECTIVE PACKING APPARATUS FOR EASILY DAMAGED OBJECTS Filed March 18,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. EDGAR ENGLISH JR.

Nov. 8, 1966 E. ENGLESH, JR 3,283,891

PROTECTIVE PACKING APPARATUS FOR EASILY DAMAGED OBJECTS Filed March 18,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PM MFIGB United States Patent 3,283,891 PROTECTIVEPACKING APPARATUS FOR EASILY DAMAGED OBJECTS Edgar English, Jr.,Edwards, Calif. (P.O. Box 169, Rosamond, Calif.) Filed Mar. 18, 1965,Ser. No. 440,846 12 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) Generally speaking, the presentinvention relates to the packing and/ or packaging art (the two wordsbeing used interchangeably herein) and, more particularly, pertains toan improved protective packing and/ or packaging apparatus and means forsubstantially completely protecting normally easily damaged objects fromdamage during either subsequent storage or shipment, and this despiterelatively rough handling which may be given to the packaging apparatusor means itself. In other words, the novel apparatus of the presentinvention acts to very effectively isolate easily damaged objects fromundesirable exterior environmental conditions so as to maximize thechances of the objects being in good condition when subsequently removedfrom the protective packaging apparatus and means of the presentinvention.

In one application of the present invention, it may be intended forprotecting easily damaged objects such as perishable food objects or thelike, although the invention is not specifically so limited in all formsthereof. In this particular application of the invention it will befound that the packaging of fruits and vegetables for shipment from apacking house or the like to a point of ultimate sale and utilizationthereof normally requires that the food objects travel a verysubstantial distance, which requires a considerable period of time. Itis during this period of time that the food objects may be very easilyinjured or damaged by bruising, crushing, or the like, during themultiple handling thereof which is required in first loading a truck orrailroad car with the food objects (usually in various different typesof prior art containers) and then in subsequently removing same from thetruck or railroad car when a desired destination is reached. Sometimesthis multiple handling occurs several times before a final destinationis reached and this greatly increases the chances of the easily bruisedor crushed food objects being injured to a degree such that when theyare finally ready for display and sale to a retail purchaser, severebruises or the like, or other visibly observable damage may haveoccurred to the food objects, which will render them virtuallyunsaleable.

Some degree of deterioration-minimization is now accomplished withrespect to such food objects by refrigcrating the vehicles transportingsame. However, this only slows down rotting, bruising, and crushingdamage because of the fact that lowered temperatures slow down the rateof natural decay and decomposition processes.

However, the damage caused by bruising and crushing, which results fromlack of physical protection for the easily damaged food objects, canonly be provided by the type of packaging employed, and at the presenttime prior art packaging'has serious disadvantages which may be roughlysaid to fall into two different categories as briefly describedhereinbelow.

First, there is the type of prior art packaging for such easily damagedfood objects which consist of very sturdy, structurally strong, outercontainers often provided with compressible padding or filler materialof one kind or another therein around each of a plurality of easilydamaged food objects. In some cases, inner structural reinforcing atvarious locations and/or levels throughout such a structurally strongouter container of fairly substantial size may be provided. Packagingand containers in this category may be said to be reasonably effectivefor ice protecting such perishable food objects, or the like, fromcrushing and bruising but are quite expensive and, additionally, cannotbe reused very many times without substantial breakage and, therefore,substantial replacement of major portions thereof, which further adds tothe overall cost of this type package or container.

The second category of the prior art containers and packages forperishable food objects referred to above may be said to be relativelyinexpensive but to be also very inefiective from the standpoint ofadequately protecting such perishable food objects from bruising andcrushing injuries or the like. This category includes containers such asbags, and the like, large volume relatively non-stiff containers ofvarious kinds, bulk shipment, and, in general, arrangements wherein theperishable food objects are not encased in a rigid structurally strongmanner by a very highly protective outer container or package which willvery substantially isolate the inner perishable food objects from allexterior impact and loading forces which the container may receive.

The novel protective packaging apparatus and means of the presentinvention substantially completely eliminates and overcomes thedisadvantages of both of the above-mentioned prior art types ofpackaging and container arrangements for such perishable food objects.In other words, the novel packaging apparatus and means of the presentinvention provides very positive and highly eifective protection fromcrushing, bruising, or the like, for such perishable food objects in amanner even superior to the first above-mentioned prior art type ofpackages and containers and yet does so in a manner which is extremelyinexpensive.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of the present inventionto provide novel protective packaging apparatus and/ or means for one ormore easily damaged objects and adapted to very positively isolate saidone or more objects from exterior environmental conditions, withparticular reference to exterior impact and loading forces applied tothe packaging apparatus and also with respect to vibratory forcesapplied thereto.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide packingapparatus and means of the character referred to in the preceding objectwhich additionally in cludes compressible pad means (at least two and,in certain cases, a substantially greater number thereof) which areplaced in aligned registration and fastened in said relationship withthe easily damaged objects, or perishable food objects, positionedbetween said compressible pad means in mating half recess portions, thusetfectively isolating and separating each easily damaged object of aplurality thereof from each other land, in one preferred exemplary form,being of a nature such as to provide a large amount of hysteretic lossesand, therefore, optimum damping for the minimization of any possiblevibration-caused damage to said easily damaged objects positionedtherein.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide packingapparatus and/or means of the character referred to above, wherein thecompressible pad means are formed of expanded-cell foam type materialwhich not only comprises a very effective vibration isolator and shockdamage preventer but which may also provide, in those forms of theinvention where such is desired, high efliciency thermal insulatingmeans whereby to provide thermal isolation in addition to mechanicalisolation to said easily damage-d objects.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide packagingapparatus and means of the character referred .to above, intendedprimarily for packaging and protecting from deleterious environmentalconditions 3 easily damaged objects comprising perishable food objectsor the like.

It is a further object of the present invention to prov de apparatus ofthe character referred to in the preced ng object, provided withappropriately positioned ventilation aperture means for facilitatingheat transfer and/ or venti- 'lation for use in packaging those forms ofperishable l ood objects wherein decay will be minimized by an initialquick chilling and/or a measure of ventilation.

It is a further object to provide packaging apparatus and/ or meanshaving the advantages referred to herein and including the featuresreferred to herein, generically and/or specifically, and individually orin combination, and which is of extremely simple inexpensiveconstruction adapted for large s-cale'mass manufacture at very low costwhereby to the conducive to widespread use thereof.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which followshereinafter (which is to be considered as exemplary of, but notspecifically limiting, the present invention), and said objects will beapparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful study of thedetailed description which follows hereinafter.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention,several exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in thehereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying single drawing sheetand are described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a reduced-size, three-dimensional view illustrating the lowercompressible pad means and the intervening or middle compressible padmeans of one exemplary three-pad form of the invention. The purpose ofthe open relationship of the bottom and intervening 'or middlecompressible pad means in this view is to clearly show the details ofthe upper surface of the lower compressible pad means and the lowersurface of the intervening or middle compressible pad means, and thealignment and registration means, prior to the positioning of perishablefood objects, such as avocados in the mating half recess portions andprior to vertical superimposition of the intervening or middlecompressible pad means on the bottom compressible pad means. In otherwords, this view is a pro-assembly fragmentary view of the completethree-pad form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is :a three-dimensional view very similar to FIG. 1, althoughviewed from a very slightly different vantage point than FIG. 1 and alsodrawn to a very slightly larger scale than FIG. 1. Additionally, itshould be noted that the opened-nip intervening or middle compressiblepad means of FIG. 1 has now been swung downwardly into a substantiallysuperimposed but very slightly vertically rupwardly spaced immediatelypre-assembly relationship with respect to the lower compressible padmeans and, additionally, the third or upper compressible pad means (notshown in FIG. 1) is shown in FIG. 2 in an opened-up pre-assemblyrelationship with respect to the top surface of the intervening ormiddle compressible pad means. This arrangement is for the purpose ofclearly disclosing all details of the top surface of the intervening ormiddle compressible pad means and bot-tom surface of the uppercompressible pad means and the corresponding alignment and registrationmeans prior to being placed in vertically assembled relationship withperishable food objects, such as avocados or the like, in the recessmeans defined by the mating half recess portions, and in a closed,

fastened, and locked relationship such as is shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional view, generally similar to FIGS. 1 and 2,but shows the three compressible pad means in fully verticallyassembled, fastened, and locked relationship suitable for shipment orstorage, usually with the [recess means therein carrying cor-respondingavocados or other perishable food objects, although it is possible thatthe containers might be shipped or stored empty in the assembled closedrelationship shown in FIG. 3

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary top plan view taken generally in thedirection of the arrows 44 of FIG. 2, and illustrates the interiordetail of a representative pair of the mating recess means half portionsand of the projecting fingers carried therein which mount thecorrespend-ing avocados, or other perishable food objects, in slightlyspaced relationship with respect to the walls of the recess means so asto provide an effective air spaced therearound.

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view, takensubstantially on a representative plane such as is indicated by thearrows 55 of FIG. 4, and is merely for the purpose of illustrating thefact that the material of the plurality of compressible pad meanspreferably comprises a compressible expanded-cell type of foam material,such as polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, or the like, although notspecifically so limited, which is sulficiently rigid to provide positiveprotection for the interiorly contained easily damaged food objects,such as avocados or the like, and, therefore, may be said to provideeffective vibration and shock isolation means and which, in certainforms of the invention (where such is desired) may also effectivelycomprise high-efficiency thermal insulating means, although notspecifically so limited in all forms of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the three vertically assembledcompressible pad means of FIG. 2 after vertical superimposition andassembly thereof, but prior to the locking and fastening thereof withtensile member belt means, tape means, or the like as shown in FIG. 3,and is taken substantially on a plane such as that indicated by thearrows 66 of FIG. 2. However, it should be clearly noted that, forpurposes of drawing simplification and clarity, no perishable foodobjects, such as avocados or the like, are shown in the recess meansillustrated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is an opened-up view showing, in plan view, the top surface of abottom compressible pad means of a modification of the invention andshowing a plan view of the opened-up bottom surface of a modifiedintervening or middle compressible pad means of this modified form ofthe invention. In other words, this view shows essentially the sameportions of a bottom compressible paid means and intervening or middlecompressible pad means as shown in FIG. 1, although it will be noticedthat in the showing of FIG. 7 all of the recess means half portions areoppositely directed from those of FIG. 1, which will have the effect ofcausing all of the lower recess means defined thereby to be oppositelydirected from the upper recess means of this form of the invention,which are identical to those clearly illustrated in FIG. 2 of the firstform of the invention, thus producing a modified arrangementof the typebest exemplified by comparing FIG. 9 of this modified form of theinvention with the corresponding View comprising FIG. 6 of the firstform of the invention.

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view, taken substantially in the directionof the arrows 88 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is across-sectional view of the fully assembled modified form ofthe invention of FIGS. 7 and 8 but prior to fastening and locking sametogether, and with no perishable food objects, such as avocados, beingpositioned in the recess means for reasons of drawing clarity andsimplification. This view of the assembled three compressible pad layersof the modified form of the invention is taken substantially on a planesuch as that indicated by the arrows 9-9 of FIG. 7 and substantiallycorresponds to the plane of the sectional view comprising FIG. 6 of thefirst form of the invention and clearly shows the positionally reversedrelationship of upper and lower rows of recess means and the reductionin the vertical thickness of the intervening or middle compressible padmeans made possible thereby.

FIG. 10 is a reduced-size, three-dimensional view, gen erally similar toFIG. 3, but illustrates a two-layer arrangement of the first form of theinvention illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, which merely has had the middle orintervening compressible pad means removed so that the upper and lowercompressible pad means are placed in direct vertical superimposition andcontact for similarily defining half as many recess means as previouslyillustrated in the first form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-6. Alsofor purposes of broadening the scope of the invention, this modifiedarrangement is shown with a slightly modified form of fastening andlocking means.

FIG. 11 is a view very similar to FIG. 7, but illustrates a furthermodification of the invention, which is shown in a 90 degree rotatedposition from the showing of FIG. 7 for drawing space-saving reasons.

FIG. 12 is a transverse sectional view of the vertically assembled padmeans of FIG. 11 on a plane such as 12-12 of FIG. 11 and is a viewgenerally similar to the lower portion of FIG. 6, with recess reversed.

Generally speaking, the exemplary first form of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 1-6 may be said to comprise container means, suchas is generally designated at 21, which is shown as being substantiallyrectangular as seen in plan view, although the invention is notspecifically so limited.

The container means 21 effectively comprises at least twoarea-coextensive compressible pad means having at least two (and usuallya similar plurality of) opposed mating aligned recess means halfportions formed therein for aligned juxtaposition whereby to effectivelydefine therebetween full recess means (usually a plurality thereof)adapated to receive, support, and protect therein one or morecorresponding easily damaged objects, such as perishable food objects orthe like, although not specifically so limited in all forms of theinvention.

In the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-6,the container means 21 efiectively comprises three such area-coextensiveinsulating pad means which are adapted to be placed in verticallyadjacent superimposed juxtaposition with respect to each other wherebyto align the corresponding plurality of recess means half portions in amanner such as to define two vertically spaced horizontal layers, eachcomprising a plurality (twenty-one in the example illustrated) of fullrecess means adapted to receive perishable food objects, such asavocados, pears, or the like, therein in a highly protective manner whenthe three compressible pad means are assembled therearound in a fullyassembled, fastened, and locked relationship effectively comprising thecomplete container means 21, as best shown in FIG. 3.

In the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated, the threearea-coextensive compressible pad means are designated by the referencecharacters 22L, 22M, and 22U, and comprise, respectively, a lower orlowermost compressible pad, a middle or intervening compressible pad,and an upper or top compressible pad.

It will be noted that the upper surface 23 of the lower pad 22L isprovided with a plurality of lower recess means half portions 24H formedtherein, while the corresponding bottom or lower surface 25 of themiddle or intervening compressible pad means 22M is provided with acorrespondingly positioned plurality of downwardly facing recess meanshalf portions 24H identical to the upwardly facing recess means halfportions 24H carried by the lower compressible pad means 22L and adaptedto be placed in aligned registration or opposition thereto whenassembled, in the manner best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, whereby to definethe lower layer plurality (twenty-one in the example illustrated) offull or complete recess means, each of which is generally designated bythe reference character 24R in FIG. 6.

Similarly, it should be noted that the upper surface 26 of the middle orintervening compressible pad means 22M is provided with a plurality(twenty-one in the example illustrated) of upwardly facing recess meanshalf portions 27H substantially completely identical to thecorresponding plurality of upwardly facing recess means half portions24H carried by the upper surface 23 of the lower compressible pad means22L and similarly positioned. Also, it should be noted that the bottomor lowermost surface 28 of the upper or top compressible pad means 22Uis provided with a similar plurality (twenty-one in the exampleillustrated) of downwardly facing recess means half portions 27Hidentical to (but positioned in opposition to) the previously mentionedplurality of upwardly facing recess means half portions 27H carried bythe upper surface 26 of the middle or intervening compressible pad means22M and adapted to be placed in aligned registration and superimposedthereover, as is best shown in FIG. 6, whereby to define a correspondingupper layer plurality (twenty-one in the example illustrated) of wholeor full recess means, as generally designated by the reference character27R in FIG. 6.

All three of the compressible pad means 22L, 22M, and 22U are adapted tobe properly vertically aligned in effective vertical registrationrelative to each other, such as is perhaps best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6,by controllably disengageable alignment and registration means adaptedto normally matingly engage each other for maintaining said threecompressible pad means in the proper vertical aligned superimposedrelationship such as to properly align all of the opposed recess meanshalf portions defining both the upper layer of the full recess means 27Rand the lower layer of full recess means 24R, best shown in FIG. 6.

In the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated, said alignmentand registration means are generally designated at 29 and may be said tocomprise male projection elements, such as shown at 29M, and corresponding cooperable female reception elements, such as desig nated at 29F,carried by opposed adjacent parts of the adjacent surfaces of thecompressible pad portions 22L, 22M, and 22U when in aligned verticalregistration with respect to each other, such as is clearly shown inFIGS. 3 and 5. In other words, each interface junction plane, such asthe lower interface junction plane defined by the surfaces 23 and 25 andthe upper interface junction plane defined by the surfaces 26 and 28, isprovided at a plurality of locations with corresponding matingvertically aligned ones of said male projection elements and femalereception elements 29M and 29F for engagement when all three of saidcompressible pad means 22L, 22M, and 22U are vertically superimposed invertical alignment and registration with each other, such as is clearlyshown in FIGS. 3 and 6, and will prevent said compressible pad meansfrom inadvertently getting out of such alignment.

After perishable food objects such as avocados, pears, or the like,although not specifically so limited, are packed in the opposite recessmeans half portions 24H and 27H, and the three compressible pad means22L, 22M, and 22U are placed in vertical superimposition with thealignment and registration means 29 engaged, suitable fastening andlocking means may be employed for firmly fastening and locking thevertically stacked assembly of said three compressible pad means 22L,22M, and 22U together into an effectively unitary structure, comprisingthe container means generally designated at 21, which is then suitablefor shipment or storage and which will provide very effective protectionfor such perishable food objects or the like until they are laterremoved from within the container means 21.

While various types of fastening and locking means may be employedwithin the broad scope of the present invention, the exemplary firstform of the invention illustrates one typical type of such fastening andlocking means as generally comprising tensile member means, such asindicated at 31, adapted to be controllably removably placed in tightencompassing relationship around the container means 21 and then adaptedto be retained in said tight encompassing relationship during storageand/or shipment thereof until such time as it is later removed fordisassembly of the container means 21 and removal of the perishable foodobjects packed therein.

In the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated, said tensilemember type fastening and locking means 31 takes the form of a pair ofstrap or webbing type belt members 32 adapted to be placed around theassembled container means 21 in two corresponding fastening groove meansG and then to be drawn into very tight encompassing relationship andlocked and fastened in such relationship by the buckle type fastenermeans 33, although not specifically so limited. However, it should beclearly noted that tape means or various other fastening means, eitherin the form of two fastening strips as shown in FIG. 3, or in otherarrangements ranging from one such strip up to any desired numberthereof and which may be directed similarly to the showing of FIG. 3 orin any other manner with respect to the container means 21, may beemployed in lieu of the specific exemplary showing of FIG. 3, and alsovarious other types of fastening means may be employed in lieu thereof.

It should be noted that, in the exemplary first form of the inventionillustrated, each of the recess means half portions 24H and 27H isprovided with a plurality of inwardly projecting compressible mountingand spacing finger means 34, such as are best shown in FIGS. 4 and 6,which are adapted to contact and support corresponding portions of aneasily damaged object, or perishable food object such as an avocado orthe like, out of contact with the remaining walls of the correspondingrecess means whereby to provide a very substantial effective air spacetherearound for ventilation purposes. Such ventilation is furtherenhanced by the provision of ventilation aperture means interconnectingthe recess means 241-1 and 271-1 with the exterior of the completecontainer means 21, thus providing a complete system of ventilationaround the perishable food objects stored within the recess means 24Rand 27R, Where this is desirable. In the exemplary first form of theinvention illustrated, said ventilation aperture means is designated at35 and comprises a plurality (twelve in the exemplary first formillustrated) of longitudinal grooves in each of the mating or junctionsurfaces of the three compressible pad means, such as the surfaces 23,25, 26 and 28, and which together define the complete plurality (six inthe exemplary form illustrated) of ventilation apertures communicatingwith ambient atmosphere at opposite ends of the assembled containermeans 21, as is perhaps best shown with respect to one representativeend thereof in FIG. 3.

It should be noted that where easily damaged objects are to be packedand protected by the apparatus of the present invention and are of atype other than perishable food objects (which, obviously, therefore,require no ventilation) or of a type of perishable food object which isbetter preserved andprotected by not having ventilation, either theplurality of mounting and spacing finger means 34 or the plurality ofventilation aperture means 35, or both, may be eliminated.

FIG. 5 illustrates the fact that, in the preferred exemplary first formof the invention illustrated, the three compressible pad means 22L, 22M,and 22U are preferably made of an expanded-cell foam-type material, suchas polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, or the like, although notspecifically so limited, which has sufficient rigidity to provide properexterior protection for easily damaged objects placed within the recessmeans 24R and 27R and which'may be said to comprise a very effectiveshock and vibration isolator and, in certain cases, may also eifectivelycomprise an effective thermal insulator and isolator also, wheresuch isdesirable'for the purpose of the present invention. However, it shouldbe clearly noted that the invention is not specifically limited toemploying material comprising a thermal insulator or isolater since thisis not necessary in all forms of the inventionparticularly where theeasily damaged objects to be protected by the invention are not of atype which is damaged or injured in any manner by temperature changes.

Preferably, the cellular type material shown in representativecross-sectional form in FIG. 5 may be of a non-connected cell type whichhas certain decided advantages from the standpoint of rigidity, shockand vibra tion isolation and even thermal insulation and isolation.However, it should be noted that, in some forms of the invention,communicating cell type of materials may be employed. In any case, itshould be noted that, if desired, the material may be of a type havingvery pronounced hysteretic loss characteristics which, thus, providevery effective damping of vibration and enhances the degree ofprotection provided to easily damaged ob jects carried within the recessmeans 24R and 27R. This type of hysteretic loss characteristics may beprovided by reason of the nature of the material itself, by reason ofthe physical structure which allows interior physical frictional lossesto occur asta result of compression and expansion, and/ or may furtherbe enhanced by the use of additives having such hysteretic losscharacteristics, to the foam-like cellular material such as is shown inone representative exemplary form in FIG. 5.

It should be noted that the exemplary first form of the inventionillustrated in FIGS. 1-6 is also effectively provided with recessedengagement means (usually hand engagement means) such as generallydesignated at 36. It will be noted that, in the exemplary first form ofthe invention illustrated, said hand engagement means 35 comprises fourinclined recess means at opposite top and bottom ends of the completeassembled container means 21 so arranged as to effectively provide anend access opening for a persons hand, or for any other appropriatelifting tool, even when the bottom of the complete container means 21 isresting upon a flat horizontal underlying supporting surface. Thisfacilitates lifting one or more such stacked containers 21 from ahorizontal underlying surface, or lifting one or more upper containermeans 21 from underlying container means 21 when they are initially inthe form of a vertical stack of a plurality of such container means 21.

While the hand engagement means 36 provides a convenient and effectiveform of hand engagement means, it should be noted that the presentinvention also contemplates various modifications thereof and variousother forms thereof and, in certain forms of the invention, they may bedispensed with entirely.

Incidentally, it should be noted that the foam material of thecompressible pad means 22L, 22M, and 22U may effectively have any one orall of the surfaces thereof sealed, if desired, in any of a number ofdifferent ways. For example, such a sealed surface may be provided byeffective heat sealing and/ or compressing the exterior of such foammaterial, by applying and sealingly joining thereto a thin sheet panelof sealing material, or otherwise.

FIGS. 7-9 illustrate an arrangement very similar to the first form ofthe invention, with the exception of the fact that the lower layer ofrecess means 24R are positionally reversed from those designated at 24Rof the first form of the invention. Because of the similarities, similarparts are designated by similar reference characters, singly primed,however. In this modification, the upper compressible pad means 22U' andthe upper surface 26' of the intervening of middle compressible padmeans 22M are identical to those of the first form of the inventiondesignated at 22U, 26, and 22M, respectively, and all similar portionsof this modified form of the invention are exactly the same and, ofcourse, identical to the corresponding parts of the first form of theinvention and, therefore, will not again be described at this point.

The change or modification of this form of the invention begins to occurat the lower surface 25' of the middle or intervening compressible padmeans 22M and all portions therebelow when the apparatus is in fullyvertically assembled relationship such as is shown in FIG. 9. It will benoted that said bottom surface 25' of the intervening or middlecompressible pad means 22M is positionally reversed 180 degrees aroundits center point from the corresponding bottom surface 25 of the middlepad 22M of the first form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. l-6 anddescribed in great detail hereinbefore. This, of course, positionallyreverses the direction of each recess means half portion 241-1 and alsoof each of the registration means portions 29' from the arrangement ofthe first form of the invention.

The lower compressible pad means 22L of this modification of theinvention is precisely the same as the lower compressible pad means 22Lof the previously described first form of the invention, but it is alsopositionally re versed around its center 180 degrees so as to besuitable for mating engagement of each of the lower recess means halfportions 24H thereof with respect to the corresponding recess means halfportions 24H of the positionally reversed bottom surface 25' of themodified middle or intervening compressible pad means 22M. This is alsotrue with respect to the registration means portions 29.

Thus, it will readily be understood that the three compressible padmeans in this modification of the invention are assembled in verticallysuperimposed relationship substantially the same as that describedhereinbefore in detail in connection with the first form of theinvention illustrated in FIGS. l6, and the only difference is the factthat the lower layer of full or complete recess means 24R (bestillustrated in FIG. 9) are positionally reversed from the correspondinglower layer of full or complete recess means 24R of the first form ofthe invention, as is perhaps best shown in FIG. 6. This provides anoptimum utilization of vertical space and allows the modified middle orintervening compressible pad means 22M to be somewhat thinner in thismodification of the invention (as shown in FIG. 9) than the pad 22M ofthe first form of the invention (as shown in FIG. 6). Otherwise, thismodification is similar to the first form, and no further description isthought necessary.

FIG. 10 is a reduced-size, three-dimensional view quite similar to FIG.3 of the first form of the invention and, in fact, merely comprises theupper and lower compressible pad means 22U and 22L of FIG. 3 directlyjoined together in face-to-face opposition without having theintermediate or middle compressible pad means 22M of the first form ofthe invention therebetween, as is clearly shown in FIG. 3. In otherwords, FIG. 10 illustrates a modified container means generallydesignated by the reference numeral 21" which has only an uppercompressible pad means 22" and a lower compressible pad means 22L" and,thus, effectively defines only a single layer of recess meanscorresponding to either the upper layer of such recess means 27R or thelower layer of recess means 24R of the first form of the invention, asis perhaps best shown in FIG. 6.

Despite the fact that the upper compressible pad means 22U and the lowercompressible pad means 22L" of FIG. 10 are exactly the same as thecorresponding upper and lower compressible pad means 22U and 22L of thefirst form of the invent-ion, nevertheless, they are designated by thesame reference numerals, doubly primed, however, in the case of FIG. 10,since together they comprise the slightly modified two-pad containermeans 21" of this modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 10. Also,for purposes of variety, the tensile member fastening means 31" of thisform of the invention is slightly modified from the first form of theinvention (although, if desired, it may employ the same type of tensilemember fastening and locking means as that shown at 31 in the first formof the invention) and comprises wraparound tape type fastening stripmeans 32" which does not have fastening buckles or the like, such asshown at 33 in the l 0 first form of the invention. Otherwise, thismodified form of the invention is similar to the first form of theinvention-illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 and described in detail hereinbefore.

FIGS. 11 and 12 are views generally similar in appearance to FIG. 7 andthe bottom half of FIG. 6, respectively, but illustrate a two-padversion of the invention similar in many ways to the form shown in FIG.10, but which is interiorly provided with a further modification withrespect to the opposed surfaces 23" and 28 which are effectivelyslightly recessed inside of corresponding surrounding upwardly directedand downwardly directed abuttable edge portions 37 and 38 which will, ofcourse, provide a much larger area interior ventilation meanscoextensive with substantial areas of the opposed surfaces 23 and 28"and comprising inner enlargements of the opposite end ventilationapertures 35" adapted to enhance and facilitate the circulation of airaround perishable fru-it or the like, within the recess means 24R'defined by the mating lower and upper recess means half portions 24H"and 27H' when the upper and lower compressible pad means 22U'" and 22L'are placed in vertically superimposed aligned registration and arefastened in such relationship in a manner similar to the showing of FIG.10.

Another difierence of the modified form of the invention illustrated inFIGS. 11 and 12 is the fact that the alignment and registration meansgenerally designated at 29" is slightly different from that shown at 29of the first form of the invention andis so arranged as to not only actfor the alignment and registration purposes previously described inconnection with the structure shown at 21 in the first form of theinvention, but also effectively comprises vertical contact and supportmeans for maintaining the proper vertical spacing of the upper and lowercompressible pad means 22U' and 22L across the central area partsthereof positioned inwardly of the two abutting edge flanges 37 and 38.The remainder of this modified form of the invention is similar to thefirst form of the invention previously described and-illustrated exceptthat it is of the two-pad type exteriorly illustrated in FIG. 10 andpreviously described. However, it should be noted that it may also be ofthe three (or more) pad type similar to the showing of the first form ofthe invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 or the slight modificationthereof illustrated in FIGS. 7-9.

Incidentally, it should be noted that, while the recess means, such asthe exemplary ones of the first form of the invention shown at 24R and27R, are illustrated as being shaped in a manner suitable for thereception of avocados, pears, or the like, the shapes thereof may bemodified for appropriate reception of various other kinds of fruits orperishable food objects or various other kinds of easily damagednon-food objects, and this may be readily accomplished by changing theappropriate mold portion.

Incidentally, it should be noted that in the preferred arrangementsillustrated, the top and bottom compressible pad means are adapted to bemade by the same mold means and that all of the intermediate orintervening pad means, such as the exemplary one shown at 22M in thefirst form of the invention, are identical, with the exception of theslight modification thereof shown at 22M in FIGS. 7 and 9, and, thus,container means comprising any desired number of such compressible padmeans may be formed from similar compressible pad means made from thefew mold means just referred to, which has the effect of greatlyreducing the cost of such composite container means.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific descriptionthereof set forth in this application are for the purpose ofillustrating the present invention and are not to be construed aslimiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specificstructure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore.Rather,

I I the real invention is intended to include substantially equivalentconstructions embodying the basic teachings and inventive concept of thepresent invention.

I claim:

1. Protective packing apparatus for easily damaged objects, comprising:container means taking the form of at least two closely adjacentarea-coextensive protective compressible pad means having a plurality ofopposed mating aligned recess means portions formed therein, each ofsaid opposed mating recess means portions cooperating with the similaradjacent aligned recess means portions to define a correspondingplurality of complete recess means, with each recess means being adaptedto receive and physically protectively support therein a substantiallysimilarly shaped and sized, easily damaged object with said matingrecess means portions being in surface contact with at least portions ofthe surface areas of said easily damaged object in a manner such as tofirmly and protectively support same Within said recess means in nestedrelationship with respect to the exterior of said container means, afirst one of said compressible pad means comprising a corresponding wallportion of said container means, a second one of said compressible padmeans comprising a corresponding oppositely positioned wall portion ofsaid container means, said compressible pad means being provided withcontrollably disengageable alignment and registration mean-s normallymatingly engaging each other and maintaining all of said compressiblepad means in aligned registration relationship with respect to eachother with all of said mating recess means portions in said opposedrecess means-defining relationship; and controllably engageable anddisengageable fastening and locking means cooperable with said pluralityof compressible pad means for firmly locking them together in saidaligned registration.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said compressible padmeans is formed of a compressible expanded-cell type of foam materialcomprising a highefficiency vibration and chock isolation means. 7

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said compressible padmeans is for-med of a compressible expanded-cell type of foam materialcomp-rising a highefficiency combination thermal insulation means andvibration and shock isolation means.

- 4. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said compressible pad meansare provided with ventilation aperture means effectively interconnectingsaid recess means and ambient atmosphere.

5. A device as defined in claim '1, wherein said alignment andregistration means comprises male projection elements and cooperablefemale reception elements carried by opposed adjacent compressible padportions when in said aligned registration with respect to each other.

6. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said fastening and lockingmeans comprises substantially flat, longitudinal tensile member meanssurrounding and encompassing said plurality of compressible pad means.

7. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tensile 12 memberfastening and locking means comprises a plurality of belt and bucklemembers surrounding and encompassing said plurality of compressible padmeans at a plurality of laterally spaced locations.

8. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tensile member fasteningand locking means comprises a plurality of encircling tape memberssurrounding and encompassing said plurality of compressible pad means ata plurality of laterally spaced locations.

1 9. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said fastening and lockingmeans comprises substantially fiat, longitudinal tensile member meanssurrounding and encompassing said plurality of compressible pad means;the exterior of said container means comprising said plurality ofaligned compressible pad means having recessed fasten ing groove meansreceiving said fastening and locking tensile member means therein in amanner substantially exteriorly flush with adjacent exterior surfaceportions of said container means.

10. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said recess means isprovided with inwardly projecting compressible mounting and spacingfinger means adapted to contact and support the corresponding portionsof a corresponding one of said easily damaged objects for providing asubstantial effective air space therearound for ventilation purposes.

11. A device as defined in claim 1, including at least one interveningcompressible pad means similar to said first and second compressible padmeans and adapted to be positioned therebetween whereby to define aplurality of interface junction planes between said plurality ofcompressible pad means and one less than the number of said compressiblepad means, with each of said interface junction planes being effectivelydefined by an adjacent 0pposed pair of corresponding surfaces of saidprotective compressible pad means and having a plurality of said opposedmating aligned recess means portions formed therein. a

12. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said coutainer means isprovided with recessed engagement means at end edges thereof providingcorresponding end access openings extending under end portions of saidcontainer means when said container means is resting upon a fiatsupporting surface and adapted for use in facilitating the lifting andhandling of said container means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1940 France.

3/1960 Germany.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. WILLIAM T. DIXSON, 111., Examiner.

1. PROTECTIVE PACKING APPARATUS FOR EASILY DAMAGED OBJECTS, COMPRISING:CONTAINER MEANS TAKING THE FORM OF AT LEAST TWO CLOSELY ADJACENTAREA-COEXTENSIVE PROTECTIVE COMPRESSIBLE PAD MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OFOPPOSED MATING ALIGNED RECESS MEANS PORTIONS FORMED THEREIN, EACH OFSAID OPPOSED MATING RECESS MEANS PORTIONS COOPERATING WITH THE SIMILARADJACENT ALIGNED RECESS MEANS PORTIONS TO DEFINE A CORRESPONDINGPLURALITY OF COMPLETE RECESS MEANS, WITH EACH RECESS MEANS BEING ADAPTEDTO RECEIVE AND PHYSICALLY PROTECTIVELY SUPPORT THEREIN A SUBSTANTIALLYSIMILARLY SHAPED AND SIZED, EASILY DAMAGED OBJECT WITH SAID MATINGRECESS MEANS PORTIONS BEING IN SURFACE CONTACT WITH AT LEAST PORTIONS OFTHE SURFACE AREAS OF SAID EASILY DAMAGED OBJECT IN A MANNER SUCH AS TOFIRMLY AND PROTECTIVELY SUPPORT SAME WITHIN SAID RECESS MEANS IN NESTEDRELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER MEANS, AFIRST ONE OF SAID COMPRESSIBLE PAD MEANS COMPRISING A CORRESPONDING WALLPORTION OF SAID CONTAINER MEANS, A SECOND ONE OF SAID COMPRESSIBLE PADMEANS COMPRISING A CORRESPONDING OPPOSITELY POSITIONED WALL PORTION OFSAID CONTAINER MEANS, SAID COMPRESSIBLE PAD MEANS BEING PROVIDED WITHCONTROLLABLY DISENGAGEABLE ALIGNMENT AND REGISTRATION MEANS NORMALLYMATINGLY ENGAGING EACH OTHER AND MAINTAINING ALL OF SAID COMPRESSIBLEPAD MEANS IN ALIGNED REGISTRATION RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO EACHOTHER WITH ALL OF SAID MATING RECESS MEANS PORTION IN SAID OPPOSEDRECESS MEANS-DEFINING RELATIONSHIP; AND CONTROLLABLY ENGAGEABLE ANDDISENGAGEABLE FASTENING AND LOCKING MEANS COOPERABLE WITH SAID PLURALITYOF COMPRESSIBLE PAD MEANS FOR FIRMLY LOCKING THEM TOGETHER IN SAIDALIGNED REGISTRATION.